The pontoon boat floats gently on the murky lake water, its white plastic sides strung with fairy lights that do little to cut through the heavy evening mist. The air smells of damp wood and something coppery, metallic. Inside the cabin, the mood is thick, ceremonial.

Melanie stands over Cole, who is tied to a chair with rough rope. Her face, usually bright with a best-friend’s smile, is set in a mask of eerie calm. On the floor nearby, their friend Boomboom lies still in a dark, spreading pool.

The cabin door creaks open. Guest stands silhouetted against the grey twilight. She looks from the scene to the gas can in her hand.